"Our study shows that even a limited intervention can have a positive effect in many women with sexual dysfunction,"
said study author Andrea Bradford, a psychologist at Baylor College of
Medicine. "This comes as no surprise to sex therapists, but it does
suggest a need to investigate behavioral factors more closely in
clinical trials."

The researchers analyzed the behaviors and symptoms of 50 women who
were randomly chosen to receive a placebo in a large clinical trial of a
drug treatment for low sexual arousal. Neither the women nor the study
doctors knew whether they were taking the real drug or placebo.

After 12 weeks of treatment, symptoms in about one in three of these
women experienced meaningful improvement. Most of that improvement
seemed to happen during the first four weeks, the researchers said.

The most important predictor of symptom change was an increase in the
frequency of satisfying sexual encounters during the treatment. Many
women even reported they received more stimulation during sexual
activity while they participated in the trial, even though their
partners were not given any special instructions.

Live Science Staff

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